Only a few more days of travel for the Admission staff before we settle in to review your application. It’s been a great travel season. We have traveled to 14 states and 21 countries. Sunday, November 13th will be our last OPEN HOUSE till April 2012 so please come and join us. The OPEN HOUSE is held from 9:00-1:00pm. You can register online or call our office. We are also open Monday –Saturday and our tour times are posted on our webpage as well. Don’t hesitate to call us if you have any questions.

I am writing to you from the lovely area of Fairfield County, CT where I have been visiting high schools all week. This is one of my absolute favorite places to visit – the students are super nice, the guidance counselors are welcoming and there are about a million Panera’s (much love to Panera Bread for their Asian Chicken Sesame Salad which keeps me from going hungry!)

Anyway, I wanted to let you know the difference between our two Early Action application deadlines. I’ve been getting alot of questions regarding why would we have deadlines two weeks apart. Here’s the situation – if you can apply for Early Action One (by 11/1) we will send your decision by December 15. Alternatively, you can apply for Early Action Two (by 11/15) and we will send your decision by January 15. Now I’ve been working in Admissions at RWU for 5 years and I can promise you that as soon as you hit send on the Common App you are going to want to know your decision. Knowing around December 15 gives you and your family more time to think it over as deposits aren’t due til May 1. Also, it is not binding to apply early action meaning you do not need to commit to RWU.

If you have any questions at all, big or small, we are here for you. Most of us counselors are hitting the road hard visiting high schools around the world but you can email us at admit@rwu.edu or call into the office at 401-254-3500. My email is jwinthrop-oney@rwu.edu if you want to ask me something – I love to help!

Best of luck with your college application process!!! Remember by this time next year you will be happily settled into your new home We hope it’s RWU!

Just this past week I returned from a month of travels in Asia, a month spent meeting students and their families that brought me to some truly amazing places and in contact with some truly amazing people. Here are a few of the places and sights that I was able to see and of course I had to take Swoop the Hawk, our mascot with me as well! In Kolkata, India I was able to visit the home and then the orphanage where Mother Teresa spent her life before traveling to the outskirts of the city to see rural fishing villages. In New Delhi, India I was able to take to the streets to explore the shops and restaurants. In Beijing, China a group of daring counselors and myself woke up at 4:30 in the morning to make it to the Great Wall before our afternoon college fair and gazing over the amazing structure as it rolled on in the hills in both directions was worth every second. In Hong Kong the lights at night both from the top of Victoria’s Peak and from the middle of the harbor were truly stunning. Not to mention the whirlwind experience of being interviewed on a television network in Vietnam, speaking with fellow counselors about how to choose a university and how to apply. And that is just a few of the places and images from my travels that will stay with me now that I am home.

But even more than the places and events, what truly stands out as I look back on my trip is the people. There were the fellow counselors from other schools I was given the opportunity to travel with and get to know. There were my interpreters in Korea, China and Vietnam who introduced me to the local cultures and attempted (I say attempted because I might not have been the best student) to teach me to write my name in Korean, Chinese and Vietnamese. And then there were the students (future Hawks) and their families that truly made every day abroad worthwhile. It was unbelievably rewarding to meet new students and students I have had the opportunity to email with in the months leading up to my travel, students interested in an array of majors and organizations and to work with them to help them find the right fit. I even had the opportunity to meet with one family in Hong Kong that I had met with on our campus and was honored when they told me they came out to the college fair that night just because they heard I would be there.

To truly complete the circle, returning home, I have returned to emails and applications from the people I was given the opportunity to meet on the road and each communication is a reminder of all that I have taken with me from my travels. Now I can’t wait to welcome some of the students and families I met during my travels to our campus in the coming semesters!

Did you ever think that going away to college would be so dramatic? I assume many of you have recently experienced either an earthquake or the hurricane all within days of starting college. We hope all of you and your families were safe during these difficult events. Our Freshman move in began on Friday, August 26th on a beautiful sunny summer day and concluded on Saturday, August 27th what started out to be a sunny day but had several torrential down pour during the afternoon. The University staff welcomed the freshman class and their families to a family lunch under a tent set up in the quad followed by the traditional convocation which was held under the main tent behind the gym. The RI Bagpiper Association accompanied the procession of administrators, faculty, staff and incoming Freshman to their seats to participate in a formal ceremony welcoming the Class of 2015 to the University. After greetings from the President, other Administrators and the President of the Student body each of the Dean addressed their students to stand and don their gown which was the official induction into the University. It was an emotional and ceremonial event for all but a feeling of pride an accomplishment was felt by parents and students alike.

The Admission Office wishes to WELCOME our Class of 2015 and to all of our returning students whom we have missed over the summer. You are more than welcome to stop by anytime if you have any questions or if we can be of help to you. ENJOY!

Towels, soap, hair spray/gel and mostly importantly laundry detergent should be a must of things on your list!! Move-in day is quickly approaching so get ready to have a blast meeting new faces and attending your first college class.

What an exciting moment for you starting your college experience with tons of things to do right when you step on campus. With that said, Student Programs and Leadership has a lot of upcoming events to show you what RWU has to offer outside of the classroom such as “Weeks of Welcome” (also known as WOW)! This is definitely a great way for you to make RWU your home away from home in no time. See you in a couple of weeks!

It’s summertime here in Admissions which makes for one of my favorite times of the year! Not only is the weather sunny and warm (for the most part) it also means exploring some of the best parts of Bristol with my WBFFL (Work Best Friend For Life) Kristina. Each Friday Kristina and I take lunch and try to go somewhere different in the Bristol area. Lemme give you the scoop on some of our adventures and the places you need to check out in the area when you come for a visit.

This is a place that we may have enjoyed a couple of different times…! The food here is delish and it’s operated by such friendly staff. Kristina and I went a few weeks back and sat and ate outside. It’s located right in the heart of downtown Bristol, which made for a nice spot to people watch. I highly recommend the quesadillas.

Mmmmmm……ice cream ::makes Homer Simpson drool face:: Anyone who knows me knows that ice cream is one of the few things I can’t resist. Gray’s is ice cream that doesn’t disappoint! All of the ice cream is homemade and boy does it taste it. My personal favorite is Peanut Butter and Kristina can’t leave without a cup of Coffee Chip. Gray’s has a few locations, one of which is located on a dock in downtown Bristol. Perfect for a warm, summer day!

Kristina and I went to this store a couple of weeks ago when I was looking for a gift for a friend’s birthday. The Knotty Dog is a gift shop where most items are made from reclaimed or recycled materials. The emphasis at the store is “hand-made pieces from American artists.” It’s great knowing that you found a truly unique gift! I can’t tell you exactly what I bought because I haven’t given it yet, but I’m sure my friend Rebekah will love it!

Kristina needed to get some stationary (ya know so she could write me notes about how amazing I am.) She found some really pretty, pink stationary with small polka dots. The store had a lot of other great cards and gift ideas, so I would suggest visiting next time you’re in Bristol. And, in case you’re wondering, I’m still waiting on that note from Kristina…

No matter how old you get, there’s still something about going into a toy store. We went in on a whim with really no purpose to buy anything. Flash forward to both of us leaving with a bag in hand. Kristina bought this pretend cake that she said reminded her of a toy that she and her sister played with when they were younger and I bought a sock monkey, because frankly, they’re super-cool.

I hope you enjoyed learning a little bit about some of the cool shops and restaurants located in Bristol! Remember, try to allot a little time after your campus tour to check out and explore some of the things our town has to offer!